Looking for suggestions for a Beer-centric Restaurant

Hi Everyone,
I would like to surprise the bf with a night out sometime soon. We generally do a fine dining restaurant (Blackbird, Spring, Moto, Onesixty Blue etc) when we go out, but his time favorite "restaurant" would probably be the Hopleaf. He is a huge beer fanatic and loves the beer-inspired food. We recently got back from a trip to Brussels where we were spoiled with delicious gueze and lambic inspired food. I'm looking for something along those lines. I have heard great things about The Publican's restaurant and it seems perfect except for the multiple comments about poor service in recent LTH threads. We had a terrible service experience at Blackbird and I would prefer not to repeat that. My other thought was The Bristol, but the reviews seem mediocre too. Is there any other beer-focused restaurant in Chicago that I am overlooking? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Amy

Great food and a wonderful beer list at Bistro Campagne. Their beer list is online, and definitely focused on the Belgians. Thread is here. Fancier than Hopleaf, but more casual than the upscale spots you listed. I wouldn't say that they create dishes specifically to pair with beer. But, they definitely have a clued-in staff that can assist you in selecting great beers to accompany the food.

Looking at the current food menu, they don't currently have my favorite dish there, the pork chop. But, they are featuring some tasty-sounding winter dishes, such as cassoulet and pork shoulder. After looking at the menu, I'm now pretty sad that I'm tied up for dinner for the next several nights and can't stop by Bistro Campagne.

Ronna

Hop Leaf - a bar/restaurant that focused on Belgian beers and food, but goes beyond that (the bar and restaurant are separate - the bar is also the waiting area for the restaurant). They do not take reservations and the wait can be quite long on weekends. It is definitely casual.

There is a lot written about it, so I won't go into details. See viewtopic.php?t=8606 and the links in that thread.

For what it's worth, I had great service at The Publican.

The Hopleaf Bar
5148 N. Clark St.
Chicago
773-334-9851

Update: Thanks to a member who is way more alert than me who pointed out that Hop Leaf was discussed in the original post.

Geez - I read these things way too fast! Sorry about that. But, give Publican a try.

I also will note that in two visits to the Publican, service has been great and food has been very good.

In my three times at the Publican, I've never had any problems with the service, and always enjoyed the food. It is very elegant space, so it feels festive for a special occasion. The portion sizes can be unpredictable, so you might want to ask your server about particular dishes.

I've actually really enjoyed the Bristol on my two visits. Some really great plates from the kitchen, and first class large format belgian and belgian-style beers. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

The Goose Island brewpub and Three Floyd's brewpub might be a decent choice. Floyd's usually has some interesting beer-themed specials (including desserts - I should have tried that Black Sun Stout ice cream float they offered when I went there with Cathy2 and ReneG)

Also, I've been meaning to check out the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle. I've never been but I hear they have a superb beer list and wonderful German food.

Goose Island
1800 North Clybourn
Chicago, IL
312.915.0071

Three Floyd's
9570 Indiana Parkway
Munster, IN 46321
219.922.4425

Bavarian Lodge
1800 Ogden Ave
Lisle, Illinois, 60532
630.241.4701
http://www.bavarian-lodge.com

I second the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle.

The food is top notch and the beer selection even better. See the link here for the current taps.
http://www.bavarian-lodge.com/Site/Beer_List.html
The manager, whom I believe is the owner's son, is a beer fanatic and it shows in his selections for the taps. They are always tapping something rare there.

While I love Goose Island, unless the planned menu changes have gone into effect, I would not go there for the food if you wanted anything better than average/slightly-above average bar food.

On the other hand, I agree with Llama that the food at the FFF brewpub is every good as their beer (plus, they always have 3-4 beers in their brewpub that you'll never get elsewhere). Go on a Saturday afternoon and take the brewery tour if you can, and follow it up with an early dinner.

Note that neither Goose Island of FFF would probably remind you much of Brussels but their beer is really, really good.

Closer to home, you could try Bluebird. It hasn't gotten much attention from the LTH community lately but you can read what has been said here. If I recall, the beer list was impressive and the food was good, though the focus seemed to be on making a space that looked nice more than anything else.

Back on the 25th, the Publican hosted a beer dinner put on in conjunction with Goose Island. According to the Reader piece where I read about it, they plan on doing these on a monthly basis with different brewers each time. I'm disappointed I couldn't make this past one as the line-up looked great: "Saison d’Espoir, Juliet, Madame Rose, Matilda, and Bourbon County Stout"

I've enjoyed my two trips to the Publican. The most recent (last week) more than the first (about a month after opening). The beer list is quite good with a slight emphasis on Beligians, but generally well rounded. They usually have a unique Goose Island brew on tap as well. The staff has been very helpful, and have made excellent recommendations for matching beer and food. The oysters I had on my last visit were quite possibly the best I've ever had in Chicago and the beer they paired with them (perhaps St. Feuillian Brown, but I can't recall) worked really well. The other food I've had has ranged from great (boudin noir sausage with lentils and pickled fennel; pork rinds tossed in vinegar and sea salt) to OK (the charcuterie plate I had on my first visit was a disappointment). But the menu is constantly changing, and most things sound quite good.

Other spots might be:
The Bristol (previously mentioned) - They have a nice beer list, but not nearly as extensive as The Publican or others. The food was pretty good though.

Bluebird (1749 N Damen Ave) - They have a pretty decent beer list. Their bottle list might be equal to The Publican quality-wise, but I don't recall any taps. Therefore Publican gets the edge beer-wise in my mind. Also, I felt the food and the service at the Publican was much stronger. Still, this place isn't bad.

Jerry's (1938 W Division St) - A bit of an oddball, Jerry's doesn't really fall into the same category as Publican, Bristol, or Bluebird as their food is almost strictly sandwiches rather than "finer" dining, but their beer list is just as good, if not better, than almost any place in town. If you are looking for only American craft beers, that is. And since I happen to think American craft beers are the best thing going right now, I don't complain.

I am also a fan of LTH favorite (and GNR winner) Paramount Room. Again, not "finer" dining per se, but great beer, food, and atmosphere. Another place that might fit the bill is The Gage. Less beer-centric than the other places, but I think the food is perfect upscale pub fare. I also agree that Three Floyds would be worth a trip. Another, less conventional option I tried recently was going to Mado (which is BYO) and bringing some of my own bottles of beer to pair with the food. I enjoyed it, and it was definitely more affordable.

within Chicago, Publican and Bristol are your best bets. I'd take Publican first, bad service reports aside.

I like both The Bristol and Publican and have had no problems any of the times I've been to either.

Not sure if you've considered BYOB as an option, but one of the best beer dinners I've ever had was doing BYOB at Mado. All their food can be well paired with a good beer.

Not within the city limits, but not far, either. Good beer list, pretty good food.

Prairie Moon
1502 Sherman Ave.
Evanston

I like Flossmoor Station - really good beer and I've always had great service

http://www.flossmoorstation.com

JasonM wrote:I like Flossmoor Station - really good beer and I've always had great service

http://www.flossmoorstation.com

Heartily seconded. Just don't go around rush hour.

Oh man...when I first read the title of this thread I was going to suggest the Hopleaf! There goes that idea

Wow. Thank you so much everyone for your suggestions. I think I'm leaning towards The Publican for now so fingers crossed the service works out for us We have been to Goose Island in the past (good but not great) and we actually just made a trip to Three Floyds last autumn. We had a great time. I loved the atmosphere of the place and how bizarre the location was

I am really intrigued by this Bavarian Lodge place. My bf's brother and sister-in law live out in Naperville. They're both huge beer people too so I think we'll be heading to BL next time we're out there. Thank you again for all the suggestions. I might have to make all our meals beer themed in the coming months!

REB wrote:Great food and a wonderful beer list at Bistro Campagne. Their beer list is online, and definitely focused on the Belgians. Thread is here. Fancier than Hopleaf, but more casual than the upscale spots you listed. I wouldn't say that they create dishes specifically to pair with beer. But, they definitely have a clued-in staff that can assist you in selecting great beers to accompany the food.

Looking at the current food menu, they don't currently have my favorite dish there, the pork chop. But, they are featuring some tasty-sounding winter dishes, such as cassoulet and pork shoulder. After looking at the menu, I'm now pretty sad that I'm tied up for dinner for the next several nights and can't stop by Bistro Campagne.

Ronna

They also have what I have long considered one of the best burgers in Chicago. What goes better with beer than a good burger?

Another favorite of mine is the Bier Stube in Peotone - theres one in Frakfort too but I prefer the Peotone location. Lots of great German beers, and some really good food. It gets really busy at times but I never had a problem with the service.

http://www.peotonebierstube.com

JasonM wrote:Another favorite of mine is the Bier Stube in Peotone - theres one in Frakfort too but I prefer the Peotone location. Lots of great German beers, and some really good food. It gets really busy at times but I never had a problem with the service.

http://www.peotonebierstube.com

Jason-

I'm not sure if the Bierstube in Frankfort is still open. I believe they moved to Peotone. There are a few mentions of the Peotone Bierstube here, here and here.

The GP wrote:

JasonM wrote:Another favorite of mine is the Bier Stube in Peotone - theres one in Frakfort too but I prefer the Peotone location. Lots of great German beers, and some really good food. It gets really busy at times but I never had a problem with the service.

http://www.peotonebierstube.com

Jason-

I'm not sure if the Bierstube in Frankfort is still open. I believe they moved to Peotone. There are a few mentions of the Peotone Bierstube here, here and here.

The original Bier Stube in Frankfort burned down, the one in Peotone opened after that and reminds me a lot of the original. Chef Klaus' restaurant in Frankfort is also Bier Stube and their menus are the same. That one is at Rt. 45 (LaGrange Rde.) and Indiana Ave (close to Rt 30) in a shopping center. I was there not too long ago.

http://www.chefklausbierstube.com

Another idea:

Laschets

I would second the Bluebird rec. For some reason the place is really my style. You could go in jeans or a suit. It's comfortable, with great beer (many that even places like the Map Room and Hopleaf don't carry) and loads of wine by the glass. The food has been really good in my opinion. Nothing earth shattering, but decent value and mostly done well. The flatbreads, salads and meats/cheeses are all yummy.

It is way up north, and I haven't been there for at least a year, but I have always been partial to the Firkin in Libertyville. They have a great beer list, and often have some special limited edition stuff made by local brewers. They will also have "guest" bartenders, from local breweries (such as Greg Hall, the brewmaster from Goose Island). The atmosphere is quirky (in a comfortable way), and the food is pretty good, consisting of small plates for sharing, artisinal cheeses, decent sandwiches made with quality bread and meats, Tallgrass burgers and a few entrees. They share a kitchen with The Tavern restaurant next door, so they also serve decent steaks.

The Firkin
515 N. Milwaukee Ave
Libertyville, IL 60048
847/367-5755

http://www.firkinoflibertyville.com


edit: According to their website, they are now featuring chicken liver mousse made by Chef Patrick Chabert. I think I might be taking a drive up north this weekend.

I agree with the Publican. Fantastic place.

I have been to Hopleaf a few times, but its kind of a long trip from the Western Suburbs. I'm a dedicated Belgian beer fan, and a beer fan in general. So a few nights ago, me and a few of my friends decided to try out Publican.

Wow. The beer selection is fantastic - stuff you cant find anywhere else. Probably not quite as good as Hopleaf, but how many unique beers can you have in one night?

The food was also great. I have never had Mussels that didnt have a slight fishy taste - and that made me think I have always been iffy with mussels. However, the Mussels were really great -easily the best I've ever had.
We also got the ham plate (good ham, but not that great), the Potee (pork tenderloin and another meat - VERY good), the Pork Belly- which was suprisingly good - kind of charred on the outside which gave it a great flavor, and the pork rinds.... I dont beleive I have ever had home made pork rinds in my life. The bread they serve is also very good.

I recommend it highly. No issues at all with the service - and I reallly liked the communal seating and communal sharing of each entree.

Hey Everyone,
Well, we went to the Publican last night and you guys weren't wrong. It was amazing. Absolutely stellar food and no problems with service! I am already wondering when I can next visit I've posted my thoughts on The Publican thread (http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=21380&p=242353#p242353 ). Thank you again for the great recommendation!

Amy

nr706 wrote:Not within the city limits, but not far, either. Good beer list, pretty good food.

Prairie Moon
1502 Sherman Ave.
Evanston

I regret that based on one recent experience, as a restaurant Prairie Moon is a good place to have a beer. Service was good; the rooms in back are pleasant and quiet enough for conversation, and they don't rush you out.

The guacamole appetizer was laced with too much raw onion. My burger ordered medium came well done as was wife number one's shrimp dish. She reported that the advertised lime flavor in the shrimp was barely detectable. Our companion's steak, ordered well-done, arrived quite pink.